This is an over-simplification. The Avatarverse combines cultures quite often.
1. The Northern Water Tribe, while also being Inuit-inspired, has Chinese-inspired architecture. Note the circular doors.
2. The character of Song from Zuko alone is very clearly wearing a Korean hanbok. She is from the Earth Kingdom.
3. The Kyoshi Island Warriors dress in kendo uniform-inspired outfits and wear Kabuki-inspired facepaint, both Japanese, despite being Earth Kingdom.
Also, the Fire Nation is most certainly not primarily Japanese-inspired.
1. They had initially planned to base the design of their armor on samurai armor. This is where the misconception typically originates from. However, it was changed before the show came out and they switched to Tang dynasty style armor. Note the pointed, up-turned toes. That is a feature of Tang dynasty armor. The shoes worn by samurai had rounded toes.
2. Look at the clothing of the Fire Nation Royal family. It looks nothing like a kimono. They are wearing hanfu. That panel of cloth attached to the front of the belt is called a bixi. The hairpieces they wear are based off guan, and the practice of distinguishing the heir through a specific headpiece is Han Chinese in origin. The pointed layers of cloth worn over their shoulders are inspired by Thai dance costumes.
3. The commoners’ clothes in Book 3 appear to be inspired by Thai clothing.
4. Fire Nation cuisine is notably spicy. Japanese cuisine is not. However, Thai cuisine is and so are some variants of Chinese cuisine.
5. Zuko’s broadswords are Chinese dao swords.
Yes, the Fire Nation might draw some parallels to World War II Japan in its actions, but its material culture is most certainly not Japanese-inspired.
I know that you mean no harm by parroting the error that the Fire Nation is Japanese-inspired. It is a common misconception that gets circulated due to misinformation and a lack familiarity with Asian culture. It just gets tedious sometimes, for people of Chinese descent, like me, when parts of our culture get misattributed to Japan simply because Japanese culture is more familiar (sometimes, we think “more fashionable”) to Westerners.
andulkaphoto
germansingergirl
